Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, today announced plans to increase Airbus A380 service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport in response to heightened demand from guests traveling between the two destinations.

Beginning on June 1, 2017,
the airline will upgrade its second flight between Abu Dhabi and New York JFK
to its award-winning A380 aircraft which features The Residence, the only
three-room suite available in commercial airline operation, and its
award-winning First Apartment cabins.

The new service will join
the airline’s existing daily A380 service, replacing the current daily Boeing
777-300ER aircraft. Etihad Airways first began welcoming guests on board its first
A380 flight between New York JFK and Abu Dhabi in November 2015.

“The response we have
received from Etihad Airways guests traveling between Abu Dhabi and New York
since we launched the service nearly a decade ago has been phenomenal, and we
are delighted to further expand our world-class product for all guests
traveling to and from New York,” said Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief
Executive Officer.

Mr Baumgartner continued:
“Our commitment to our guests has always been to be the very best airline in
the world by totally reimagining the travel experience and delivering the
highest levels of comfort, luxury and world-class hospitality at every point in
their travel journey – on the ground and in the air - across all classes of
service.”

The
Residence guests enjoy the ultimate in luxury. Every part of the travel
experience is tailored and bespoke including a chauffeur-driven ride to the
airport and a private three-room suite that includes a living room that seats
up to two guests,
a double bedroom, and a separate ensuite shower room. Guests in The Residence
are looked after by a dedicated Butler trained at the legendary Savoy Hotel in
London.

In
addition, nine First Apartments feature private living spaces including a
reclining Poltrona Frau leather lounge chair and ottoman, which opens up to
become a separate 80.5 inch long fully-flat bed. A shower room is available for
First Class guests’ comfort and convenience.

Dining
in The Residence and First Class features fine culinary experiences prepared by
a skilled onboard Chef.

A
total of 70 Business Studies are also located on the upper deck of the A380,
all offering direct aisle access, a fully flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long
and an increase of 20 per cent in personal space. Food and Beverage Managers in
Business Class provide guests with expertise in food and wine pairing from an
extensive ‘Dine Anytime’ menu.

The
main deck of the aircraft features 415 Economy Smart Seats with the latest
Panasonic eX3 entertainment system, providing more than 750 hours of on-demand
entertainment, improved gaming and high definition screens across all cabins. The
A380 features full inflight connectivity including WiFi.

The
Lobby, a luxurious lounge located between the First and Business Class cabins,
features two comfortable Poltrona Frau leather sofas and a staffed bar,
offering a large selection of snacks and refreshments available throughout the flight.

Etihad
Airways first introduced daily, nonstop, round-trip flights into New York JFK on
October 26, 2006, and this fall, the airline will celebrate 10 years of service
between Abu Dhabi and the New York.

In
December 2015, the airline opened a new premium lounge at New York JFK, marking
a significant investment in further improving the ground experience for the
airline’s guests. Conveniently located close to the gate area after the
security checkpoint in JFK’s International Terminal 4, the new lounge offers
guests a unique travel environment reflecting twenty-first century Abu Dhabi
modernism and embodies the highest levels of luxury and comfort for discerning
travelers.

Etihad Airways currently offers 45
weekly return flights between Abu Dhabi and six U.S. cities, including Chicago,
Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York JFK, San Francisco and Washington,
D.C. Through Etihad Airways’ hub in Abu Dhabi, the airline offers passengers
from the United States direct access to the U.A.E. capital, and seamless
connections to the Middle East, Africa, Indian Sub-continent and South East
Asia.

Daily
flight schedule between Abu Dhabi and New York JFK, beginning in June 2017:

Flight
No.

Origin

Departs

Destination

Arrives

Aircraft

EY103

Abu
Dhabi

3:35
AM

New
York JFK

9:35
AM

A380

EY102

New
York JFK

3:00
PM

Abu
Dhabi

12:05
PM (+1)

A380

EY101*

Abu
Dhabi

10:10
AM

New
York JFK

4:30
PM

A380

EY100*

New
York JFK

10:45
PM

Abu
Dhabi

7:50
PM
(+1)

A380

Note: All departures and arrivals are listed in
local time.
*Planned
flight change to A380 aircraft is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2017